Poor Unfortunate Souls
by love-this-life-1
Summary: Hermione is one of the only survivors of the final battle. Draco gives her an ultimatum, work for him like a slave for the rest of her life, or death... Warning: Dark fic! Character death, abuse, etc.


**_Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the plot. Everything else you read here, sadly, belongs to JKR. _**

**_Author's Note: Hello, Hi there, How yeah doing? So it's been a very long while since I've written any fan fictions, and unfortunately, I haven't completely most of the one's I have started. I'm hoping with this story, because it's going to be VERY different and MUCH darker than my other fictions, that I will stick with it. I just want everyone to keep in mind, this isn't a fluff story. For fluff stories go read my other fictions. J Thanks!!_**

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_As a little girl, I used to wonder if there was anything bigger than the walls I referred to as home. It was the only world I ever knew. Until I was eleven years old, I had no idea there was even such a thing as magic. I mean, I lived in a no-nonsense household. My parents didn't feed me the delusions of Santa Claus or the tooth fairy. My mum and dad were all about the facts, so I suppose that's the reason I turned out the way I did. _

_But, until I got my letter to Hogwarts, they were completely clueless about magic as well. In fact, when I received my first letter via owl, my parents were certain it must be one of my school yard bullies trying to pull a hurtful prank on me. It wasn't until the very end of summer that Dumbledore finally came to my home and knocked some sense into my parents. _

_And thank God he did. _

_Magic is one of the only things that really makes me special. So I suppose, when I was first starting out, I was under the impression that any sort of magic was "good magic". I couldn't even wrap my head around using something so beautiful to harm other people._

_Obviously, I had heard of Voldemort and the evil things he was doing. I didn't live under a rock, contrary to popular belief. But for some reason, I didn't think he had anything to do with me. Since I only ever heard unbelievable stories about him, he just seemed like another myth that my parents never used to talk about. However, I soon found out when I associated myself with Harry and Ron, everything_ had to do with the Dark Lord.

Everything.

But even in those first few years, when Ron, Harry, and I just couldn't seem to keep ourselves out of trouble, I still believed in hope. I still believed that the world, and moreover, that _magic_ was a beautiful thing and capable of good.

But things had to change, and they were changing before I even realized it. Something happened between the three of us, the golden trio. Suddenly, we weren't just friends anymore. Suddenly, we were going into battle, about to fight for the goodness of all the Wizarding World. At fifteen, we were thrown into the world of war, before we even knew what it that meant.

We weren't ready. And as much as I felt that I was more mature than Ron and Harry, that I was Hermione Granger brightest of my year, I still hadn't a clue what I was getting myself in to. I was a frightened little girl, with a lot of brain power, but not a whole lot of anything else. I wasn't ready for war.

Harry, well, Harry was ready for war. He made that clear to Ron and I. Nobody would doubt that he was a very powerful wizard. Nobody would doubt that he was bright (if he'd only apply himself). And Nobody would doubt that he was angry.

He was angry at the world. Harry wanted revenge, and the closer we got to fighting Voldemort in the Final Battle, the angrier Harry became. He became vicious, black with hatred, and I knew it was this war that was turning his heart cold. Eventually, all Harry could focus on was revenge. Revenge for losing his parents, Sirus, and Dumbledore. Revenge for making his life hell. Soon enough, the rest of the Wizarding World hardly even mattered.

I saw this in him, and even tried to confront him, but he was lost. And perhaps, if I had been a better friend, I would have kept searching for the child I knew in first year. For the friend I relied on for so many years. But instead, I was selfish. I convinced myself that Harry knew what he was doing. I convinced myself that Ron and I would just need to follow, and everything would turn out right in the end.

I was so naïve. The final battle was approaching, yet all I could think about was Ron. Our relationship had finally taken a turn for the better, and for some strange reason, I thought this was like an omen. Because things with Ron and I were perfect, then everything else must turn out perfect as well. It would be the fairy tell ending at seventeen years old. The fairy tales I was never told, were finally coming true.

But no, Ron and I didn't last long. As much as I thought I loved him, the final battle was approaching, and I was finally starting to understand what was happening. I was scared shitless, and secretly searching for a way out. I didn't want darkness to burst my bubble.

And most of all, I didn't want to lose the people I loved.

It was too late though. The day of the Final Battle came sooner than I had anticipated. I wasn't ready for it. I wasn't ready for the darkness. I wasn't ready for my soul to be corrupted! So I hid. I hid like the coward I was, and let all my friends go and fight. I stayed in an abandoned classroom, hoping to God nobody would be able to find me…. It was pathetic.

I heard the screams, the screams of my friends and family. But all I could do was sit in a corner and hide, as tears streamed down my face. I cried for them, but I didn't even try to save them. Therefore, I condemned them to death. Who knows what I could have done had I stepped up to fight?

And it wasn't as if I was safely hidden. No, the death Eaters got a hold of me relatively quickly. But by then, it didn't matter. I tried to fight them off, but it was two experienced death eaters against a distraught student. There was no way I could have taken them. So when they finally got a hold of my wand, I didn't even fight back. I didn't scream, or try to get away. I knew I deserved death. I deserved what my friends had just received. I would be a coward no longer.

I was no less then shocked when I wasn't struck dead at that moment. Instead, a mask death eater grabbed me from behind and dragged me down the corridors. I hadn't a clue where we were going, but I didn't ask questions. All I knew now was, I wanted death. I began to wonder where the "brave Gryffindor" I once was went off to, but I shook the thought away. Its not like it much mattered anymore.

The man pushed me along, keeping my wrists pinned to my back and holding them there so I couldn't get away. The other was supervising, keeping a wand pointed at me at all times. It's almost humorous to me, the fact that it took two fully grown Death Eaters to capture and contain a teenage girl. Almost, but not quite.

We passed dead bodies. They were everywhere, scattering the floors of Hogwarts. Some I didn't recognize, some were students I had in my classes, some were hated enemies, like Lavender Brown. I didn't spy the bodies my eyes had been searching for, however. I saw no one from the Order, making me wonder if they were all still alive. With that hope in my heart, I wondered if I should try start fighting back, so I could help my friends. I wanted to prove to them who I was. I NEEDED to after practically betraying them.

So I struggled, but nothing came of it besides a violent shake and a slap in the face. The stupid brutes didn't even bother to use magic on me. They said it wasn't worth wasting their magic on a Mudblood. And I had to admit, as much as I was used to the insult, it still stung.

But I didn't fight anymore. My cheek was swollen, and I had no wand. They could easily overpower me. So we continued down the corridors. We eventually reached the Great Hall, which was our apparent destination.

The Death Eaters opened the doors, shoved me into the hall, and then quickly locked me in. I was confused, until I finally saw what was going on.

My friends, they were either injured, or dead. Throughout the Great Hall, I was the only one actually standing. I felt my stomach drop to the floor, as tears began to leak from my eyes.

"No," I whispered as I spotted Harry's body. He was in the center of the room, like a prize that had finally been won.

"No!" I shrieked. I galloped over to his body, pulling him into the tightest hug as I slid to the floor beside him. His body was still warm, but he was no longer breathing. I didn't feel his chest rise and fall against mine. So I hugged him tighter, begging God with all my might to please bring him back.

"Hello Mudblood," a man's voice drawled from behind me.

I winced at the sound. It was all too familiar, and all too sickening. I couldn't face him right now, I just couldn't. I just lost everyone that I ever loved or cared about, aside from my own parents. Why was I not allowed these last few moments alone with them?

"Get away from me Malfoy," I spat, without even turning to look at him.

"And why would I do that?" He enquired innocently, "this is only the moment I have been dreaming of since the day I attended Hogwarts." I could hear the smile on his perfect little face.

"I said SOD OFF MALFOY!" and this time I turned to him, screaming to him. My tears poured down harder as I saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's body stacked in a large pile towards the window.

"language Mudblood," He sneered, circling me as I attempted to bring Harry closer to me. I could feel his blood seeping through my robes, but I didn't care.

"You see, I only meant to discuss with you a proposition." He began again, getting ever closer as he surrounded mine and Harry's bodies.

"I'm not interested in _anything_ you have to say Malfoy," I said, "Leave. Me. Alone!"

He smirked at me now, his ever so famous one, "You'd be wise to listen MUDBLOOD if you valued your life."

My breath caught, and my heart began to race at a mile a minute. Was he really going to offer me my life? No- No I couldn't believe it. I WOULDN'T believe it. And even if I did go along with whatever scheme he had cooked up, I didn't want to. I wanted to die here, with honor, with my friends.

But I didn't retort soon enough, so he continued along with his monologue.

"You see, it has been decided that a few _selected_ Mudbloods will be allowed to live. After all, killing so many people takes a lot of energy, and the Dark Lord is getting weary." He smiled at me, and I scoffed.

"So, the Dark Lord has proposed the rest of you poor excuses for human beings be taken in as slaves. Those who can still prove useful, anyway. And, lucky for you Granger, you're one of the only Mudbloods who survived here at Hogwarts."

My heart tore in two at that. I wondered how many innocent children's lives they had taken away from them. How many parents will have to give their own childrens funerals?

Oh god, MY PARENTS! I hadn't even thought of my parents! I could still escape… I could find any survivors and we could-

"Don't even think about it," Draco spat, practically reading my thoughts and all the while inching closer, "You're parents are dead, along with at least half the Muggle population. That was the Dark Lords plan, after all, which is still continuing as we speak. So I really DO need an answer. It's either that, or I kill you right here and now."

I didn't hear much of what he said after his first few words. My parents were dead, and it was all my fault. I should have protected them. I COULD have saved them, along with who knows how many others. I should be one of these dead bodies, lying next to my friends, WITH HONOR.

I needed to find Ron's body. I needed to say my goodbye's to him before Draco killed me, or some other death eater approaching.

I scrambled to my feet, frightening Draco into raising his wand to my chest. He had been closer than I had thought. We were far, far to close now.

I took a step back from him, surveying the room quickly. Then I proceeded to glared at him, "I'm not going to attack you, I don't even have a bloody wand!" I exclaimed, "I need to see Ron! Where is he!" I heard the panic in my voice as I scrambled through the bodies nearest me. But there were so many! So many bodies of the people I loved! I could hardly stand it!

"Or quit your whining! Believe it or not Granger, the little blood traitor was taken as a hostage. I haven't a clue why the Dark Lord decided to spare him, but he left here with merely a few gashes. Even _I_ think the stupid buffoon deserved to die with the rest of his family." He laughed, "Every single one dead besides him."

"How dare you!" I shrieked, although I could help but have the tiniest shred of hope well up inside of me. RON WAS ALIVE! Dear sweet Ron was still living, "You stupid arrogant pig! I hate you! I hate what you've done! How can you even stand to look in the mirror! You horrible-"

"Silencio!" He hissed.

And unfortunately, I was silent. My body was screaming in protest, but the spell could not be broken. I became still, suddenly, anyway though, with Draco's body rapidly approaching my own. He towered over me, attempting to intimidate me. At any other time, it wouldn't have worked, but now I felt like cowering before him. God, I felt WEAK.

"You should be thanking me for showing you my mercy MUDBLOOD! How _dare_ you insult me. You insolent piece of filth!" He pushed his face so close to mine that our noses were nearly touching. I could feel his breath on my face, making my eyes water. He was glaring daggers into me.

"I'll give you one more chance Granger, what's it going to be?"

He lifted the spell off of me, but I still felt as if I couldn't speak. My throat was dry, and my thoughts would not stand still. I wanted to die, I deserved it. Everyone I loved was dead. That is, except, Ron. And Ron had to be enough to keep me going.

"Do you want to live or not Granger? Yes or no?" He repeated, becoming impatient.

I stared at him for a long hard moment, finally working the words from the pit of my stomach to my mouth and into the air.

"Yes." I replied without a hint of doubt.

He smiled wickedly at me, and grasped on to my wrist, "Things are about to get very interesting Granger."


End file.
